It’s impossible to talk about Florida right now without mentioning Tampa. Once a quiet coastal city, Tampa has transformed into a vibrant destination favored by millennials and Gen Z, tech startups, and newcomers from across the country and the world seeking a high quality of life, abundant sunshine, and waterfront living.
At the center of downtown’s revival is the landmark $3.5 billion Water Street Tampa project, backed by investors including Bill Gates and Jeffrey Vinik, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. This 55-acre mixed-use development in the downtown corridor has earned designation as North America’s first WELL Certified Community for its sustainability and livability standards. Water Street Tampa has been a catalyst in turning a once-sluggish downtown into a dynamic neighborhood full of restaurants, shops, urban parks, and food halls that capitalize on the city’s prime waterfront location.
Josh Taub, CEO of Strategic Property Partners, the developer behind Water Street Tampa, called 2023 a “monumental year” for the project.
© Strategic Property Partners
“Many of our retailers opened this year, from beautifully designed sit-down restaurants to creative grab-and-go lunch spots and rooftop cocktail bars,” Taub said. “We also hosted more community events and programming, including successful monthly local vendor and farmers markets and our Arts in Motion pop-up event, which brought two world-renowned art installations to Florida for the first time.”
Leisure and convention visitors are drawn to several new hotels in the district, including The Tampa EDITION — the city’s first true five-star property designed by Ian Schrager — and they dine at notable restaurants such as the French brasserie Boulon, The Pearl from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, and Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval, known for its authentic Oaxacan flavors.
Water Street Tampa is also home to Sparkman Wharf, a waterfront park with street food and a beer garden; the largest collection of hotel rooms and meeting space in the Tampa Bay area; and the region’s largest hotel ballroom at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. The Tampa EDITION contains Lilac, the city’s first Michelin-starred restaurant — a must-book for fine dining.
Design elements that improve urban life are central to the district: double-wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and open plazas form the neighborhood’s backbone, alongside infrastructure built with the future in mind. “It was vital for us to invest in placemaking and ensure the neighborhood we were creating could support and enhance a downtown live-work-play experience,” Taub said. “The result is a beautifully crafted but functional place that balances a lively urban environment with lush landscaping and moments of respite to create thoughtful spaces where people want to spend time.”
Santiago C. Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, described Water Street Tampa as part of a “remarkable renaissance” that is broadening the city’s appeal to a wide range of travelers. In 2024, Strategic Property Partners plans to unveil initial designs for upcoming buildings that will expand the neighborhood and continue attracting residents, tenants, and visitors with the promise of a vibrant, walkable urban lifestyle.
© Strategic Property Partners
“Water Street Tampa continues to stand out for its transformative lifestyle offerings,” Corrada said.
SCENIC DRIVES
Just south of Water Street and downtown, Bayshore Boulevard traces the waterfront along Hillsborough Bay and offers a tour of elegant historic homes in neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Ballast Point. A wide sidewalk runs along the water for 4.5 miles and is popular with walkers, joggers, cyclists, roller skaters, and skateboarders. From the shoreline you might spot stingrays or dolphins. In the southern reaches on Bayshore, Ballast Point Park invites visitors to relax beneath oak trees, enjoy a playground and splash pad, or fish from the pier.
A scenic drive between South Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg crosses the Gandy Bridge and showcases shimmering Tampa Bay waters and frequent pelicans in flight. On the St. Pete side, pull-offs and sandy beaches at Gandy Beach provide spots to wade, fish, or cool off. For a tropical-feeling stop, try The Getaway, an open-air restaurant with fish tacos and mangrove views that evoke a Key West vibe.